Scituate

Contents

Scituate is a small seacoast town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts south of Cohasset and north of Marshfield in the South Shore region. Scituate Harbor is the main town center and is where most of the shops and restaurants are located. Scituate also includes the villages of North Scituate and Humarock. After the storm of 1888, Humarock was cut off from Scituate by the rerouting of the South River. In order to get to Humarock, you must drive south on route 3A crossing into Marshfield and follow the signs for Humarock. It is suggested that a Massachusetts map book with close-ups on the different towns be obtained to help with travel, especially if you would like to see some of the town's historical sites. A town road map may also be obtained for free at the Scituate Town Hall. They will also help with any questions you have.

From Route 3, take exit 14 onto route 228 east until intersection with route 3A. At lights, go right onto 3A south and follow through Cohasset and into Scituate. North Scituate village will be the first exit on your left once you cross into Scituate. To get to Scituate Harbor, continue straight along route 3A until you see the town hall on your left (about 2 to 3 miles ahead). Take a left at that lights onto Beaver Dam road and continue all the way into Scituate Harbor.

MBTA Commuter Rail has stops [1] in North Scituate and Greenbush. The fare for adults is $6.75 one way from South Station (Boston), to Greenbush station. Adults pay $6.25 one way from South Station to North Scituate. Children under 12 ride for free with an adult.

Note: All weekend commuter rail service to Scituate has been suspended until Summer 2012. [2]

Unfortunately, there are no taxi services in Scituate. Most of the shops and restaurants are located in Scituate Harbor and they are all within walking distance. The beaches are a little bit longer of a walk but the ones close to the harbor such as Sand Hills and Peggoty are a 10 to 15 minute walk max, and lot quicker on bikes. See the article about beaches below for more information.

Here is itinerary to help making getting around time efficient in the harbor area.

When exploring Scituate on a summer day, the most typical time to visit the scenic town, the busy area can be overwhelming to plan the perfect day in. Based on a two- day visit, here is how to maximize your experience in Scituate with out spending all of your time driving around town. Here is itinerary to help making getting around time efficient in the harbor area.

Scituate Harbor Area
Morning
Breakfast: Morning Glories has a breakfast egg and cheese sandwich and a coffee selection that are raved about by the locals. Visit this bakery for your breakfast fix to get your day rolling.
Activity: Off of The Driftway, just near Morning Glories, take a walk along the marsh at the boat ramp. There are walking trails alongside to make for a nice morning stroll.
Lunch: On Front Street, the heart of Scituate’s downtown, lies one of the town’s busiest sandwich shops, Marias. Oftentimes on a summer afternoon, the line is out the door, so be prepared to wait for about 20 minutes for your lunch. Get it to go as Peggotty beach is right around the corner!

Activity: Peggotty Beach is a popular beach near the harbor. After being sure that you have a beach sticker on your car, prepare to spend the rest of your afternoon here.

Dinner: Satuit tavern is a popular restaurant near the lighthouse and features local seafood and pizza. The prices are reasonable and the menu selection appeals to all appetites.

Activity: Patriot Cinemas in the harbor shows two films at a time. With Harbor Scoops just next door, the movies are a sweet treat to the end of your night in the harbor.

Day two
North Scituate

Breakfast: Marylou's is a very popular coffee shop in North Scituate that also has muffins and pasteries. This stop will help wake your morning up.
Activity: Visit Whittney Woods Trails. There are 3 miles of trails off of Country Way, near Marylous, that provide for a nice walk through the woods.

Lunch: Circe's Grotto is a nice sandwich shop offering an extensive menu of gourmet sandwiches. With Minot Beach just down the street, Circe's makes a lot of sales for beach picnics.
Activity: Minot Beach is one of Scituate's Pulic Beaches that is very family friendly. It features an enormous rock that kids love to play on and jump off of.

Dinner: Riva II is a pizza joint that offers delicious pizzas and salads. For a light dinner after the beach this is an excellent choice.

[dead link]Maritime and Irish Mossing Museum, ☎+1 781 545-1083. 301 Driftway, Sa,Su: 1PM-4PM. Set in a sea captain's 1739 home, exhibits recount local maritime history including the many Scituate shipwrecks, the Irish mossing trade (red algae scraped from the sea floor and used in many products). Adults $4, seniors $3, under 18 free.

42.20475-70.7158331[dead link]Scituate Lighthouse, ☎+1 781 545-1083. Cedar Point, An 1810 granite lighthouse with a charming story. Open at times during the summer, including Heritage Days. Nice historical display outside. This is a very popular sight for visitors. The surrounding rocks, calm harbor, and often gorgeous summer weather makes this also a popular spot for wedding photos! There are two jetties off of the lighthouse area, and both are often walked by adults and children alike. Though the parking lot is small, it is free. There is also a small sandy beach in front of the Lighthouse; this is a beautiful place to enjoy the summer sun, and is the only beach in Scituate with a free parking area.

[dead link]Maxwell Conservation Trut, LTD, 292 Clapp Road, ☎+1 781 545-4167, fax: +1 781 545-9023. 225 acres of open space preserved in this 450 acre forest. It is part of the largest remaining unfragmented forest in Scituate, this area contains important headwaters of our drinking supply. The walking trail capacity is around 2 ½ miles, covering a variety of ecosystems and habitats for the public to appreciate and enjoy.

Satuit Bowlaway, 1 Cole Parkway, ☎+1 781 545-9726. Scituate Harbor, this bowling alley and small arcade is home to candle pin bowling. It also has kid friendly lanes with bumbers and is available for birthday parties. Call to inquire about "cosmic bowling" for a fun nite.

[dead link]Scituate Heritage Days. Each year, with the help of many volunteers, the Scituate Chamber of Commerce proudly presents Scituate Heritage Days. The annual event combines live music and entertainment, artisan crafts, kid’s activities, historical site visits, and vendor booths for one of the South Shore’s biggest and most anticipated outdoor events of the summer. During the weekend, visitors can enjoy many events, activities, and music venues that Scituate Heritage Days has become famous for. In addition to the many vendors at Heritage Days, Scituate Harbor boasts many retail shops, businesses and restaurants. You can find nautical and whimsical gifts shops along with stylish retail clothing stores. Some of the restaurants feature outdoor casual seating where you can enjoy the spectacular views of Scituate Harbor. This festival takes place the first weekend of August each year.

Carnival. Located in Cole Parkway, in the Harbor. Usually held in the third week of July every summer, the carnival provides fun for children of all ages. If rides are simply not your thing, you can instead enjoy some cotton candy and hot dogs while walking along the harbor's edge. Parking is limited, since the carnival is set up in the major parking lot of the harbor. Visitors can park in nearby smaller harbor lots (free of charge).

The major beaches of Scituate are Minot, Peggoty, and Egypt Beach, and are all open to the public throughout the year. Note that parking in a beach parking lot requires a Beach Sticker. There are only a reserved number of stickers for non-residents each summer. If you are not a resident with a sticker, it is probably easier to bike, or make some local friends! Sand Hills and Pegotty beach are the two closest beaches to the harbor and are a 10 to 15 minute walk max, even less if you have bikes. Be sure to ask for directions although it is pretty straight forward trip.

Nearby Town Beaches:

The town of Hull, home to Nantasket Beach, phone: +1 617-727-1330, is about a 15 minute ride to the north on route 3A. At this beautiful 3.5 mile long sandy beach there are 1000 car parking lots (for a small fee), lifeguards, public rest rooms, changing rooms and showers. Opposite the beach, there is a long strip of restaurants, arcades, ice cream stands, shops, food vendors and even a carousel. This trip is a must and a fun time for families or couples. The beach is extremely popular on hot summer days and is one of the best on the South Shore. From Scituate, follow route 3A north until you hit the traffic circle in Hingham, then take the first right out of the circle and follow until you reach Hull. Continue until on until you hit the main strip and the beach is on the right. You won't miss it.

Joye, 196 Front Street, ☎+1 781 545-7273. Just next door to the Quarterdeck is a bright and fresh looking shop full of accessories. This shop is one of the most decently priced for gifts among then stores on Front Street.

Morning Glories, 52 Country Way. Morning Glories offers many cookies, cakes, and sandwiches. Their seasonal items, featuring sugar cookies that have colorful sprinkles are very popular for parties or just for fun. Although you could sit down and enjoy your fresh baked goodies at one of their tables, their take out window makes it convenient to purchase on the go!

Circe's Grotto, 344 Gannet Road, ☎+1 781 544-6007. Scituate (North Scituate Village), A great sandwich shop with home made deserts and treats. Very busy around lunch time, but it is worth the wait.

Coffee Corner, 1 Cole Pkwy, ☎+1 781 545-8225. Scituate Harbor, Locally owned coffee, donut and bagel place that has been here before Dunkin Donuts moved in down the street. Has a small town charm to it.

Dribble's Ice Cream, 4 Brook Street, ☎+1 781 544-3600. Scituate Harbor, Popular with locals and busy during the summer months. There are 2 walk up windows to order from. They serve large portions and have some picnic tables outside. Closeness to the harbor allows one to walk the waters edge near Cole parkway.

Maria's Pizza And Submarine Sandwich Shop, 47 Front Street, ☎+1 781 545-2323. Scituate Harbor. Lunch, dinner. Downtown Location. Very casual, very popular among the locals. Around lunch time the line can be out the door since it is a small place, but it moves quickly. Unfortunately, they don't offer lettuce as a sub topping. Call ahead for pizza pickup only; no delivery. Very low prices.

Mill Wharf Restaurant, 146 Front Street, ☎+1 781 545-3999. Lunch, dinner. Outstanding location with views of the harbor, lighthouse and bay. Outside dining in nice weather. $19-$27 or pub menu. Finer dining downstairs, pub located upstairs. More of bar atmosphere upstairs and sometimes they have live music. Local tip: ask to sit outside upstairs for a nice view, but downstairs has a larger outdoor area.

T.K.O'Malley's, 194 Front Street, ☎+1 781 545-4012. Scituate Harbor, Casual. Full service indoor dining room, lounge and sports bar. Seasonal outdoor full service patio and bar overlooking harbor. Drive up dock for boats. Lunch, dinner and to go. Very popular in the summer months.

Wilbur's North Ice Cream, 367 Gannet Road, ☎+1 781 545-8118. Scituate (North Scituate Village), Awesome ice cream place with a large menu including hard and soft serve, milkshakes, ice cream cakes and is home to the one of a kind Wilbur wheel. Also has a sandwich shop and a candy section. Very busy during the summer months and definitely one of the best ice cream places on the south shore.

Harbor Scoops, 1 Mill Wharf Plaza, ☎+1 781 545-0707. Located right next to the movie theater along the shoreline this stop for ice cream is the perfect place to grab a cone for the show, or a stroll along the water. The parlor also has seating to enjoy their many different flavors with sweet-tooth-happy toppings.

Oro, Oro 162 Front Street, ☎+1 781 378-2465. This restaurant is a recent addition to the harbor and features fine entrees including sophisticated seafood and steak items.

While there are no clubs, lounges or bar only establishments, the bars in the Mill Wharf, Riva, Satuit Tavern, and T.K.O'Malley's are popular on Friday and Saturday nites. Last call is usually 12:45am due to the MA law that requires all bars to close by 1:00am. However, there are a lot of liquor stores in Scituate Harbor and surrounding areas that sell beer, wine and liquor.

The zip code for Scituate is 02066. The telephone area code for local residents and businesses is '781'.

Mail Services:

There are three USPS post offices in Scituate, located on Ford Rd, First Parish Rd, and Gannett Rd. The post office located on First Parish Road is the only one to offer Passport Application Services.
Stamps can be purchased at the post office, or at the CVS/Pharmacy in the harbor.
There are no UPS stores (or similar package delivery services) located in Scituate. If you need to send a package, there are several drop boxes around town. A UPS, FedEx, and USPS box is specifically in Scituate Harbor.

Rocco’s Barber Shop – Located at 73 Cole Parkway (next to CVS/Pharmacy) in the harbor. Always a line on weekends, but the service is very friendly. They cut men’s and childrens’ hair, and simple cuts for women.

Library [4]. The Scituate Town Library is part of the Old Colony Library Network. It is a small library with children's, young adult, and adult sections. They also have a decent collection of CDs for borrow, and a small selection of DVDs (and even VHS!). Computer (and internet) use is permitted only to those with a library card.

Kid Activities[dead link]. Year-round, but especially in the summer, the Recreation Department offers activities for kids of all ages (registration for activities is required).